If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody
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| "If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by James Ray | ||||
| from the album James Ray | ||||
| B-side | "It's Been a Drag" | |||
| Released | 1961 | |||
| Recorded | 1961 | |||
| Length | 2:00 | |||
| Label | Caprice CAP-110 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Rudy Clark | |||
| Producer(s) | Gerry Granahan | |||
| James Ray singles chronology | ||||
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"If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody" is a song written by Rudy Clark and first recorded by James Ray in 1961. Ray's recording on the Caprice label, arranged by Hutch Davie and produced by Gerry Granahan,[1] reached number 10 on the US Billboard R&B chart and number 22 on the Hot 100 in early 1962.[2]
In 1962, the Beatles began to perform the song at their gigs, with John Lennon singing lead and playing harmonica.[3] Paul McCartney said that George Harrison had a copy of Ray's record, "and we did a version of it because we thought it was such a wacky waltz. No one had a 3/4 number. And an R'n'B waltz, that was new! The London bands used to gather round when they'd hear us do it in Hamburg. Lots of bands all hanging, having a beer when we were on, and I consciously remember them all hanging round for that one....".[4] Ray's single was reputedly included in John Lennon's jukebox, the subject of a 2004 compilation album.[5]
